Underneath, the Onyx is fitted with dual 95L
water tanks and even a grey water tank.
I’d personally like to see the PVC plumbing
fitted with a stoneguard but, then again, this
van isn’t designed for serious offroad work.
Up front are two 9kg gas cylinders on the
drawbar – I was pleased to see the gas
regulator protected by a sheet metal guard.
The coupling is of the 50mm ball variety –
perfectly suitable – and the rearview camera
is wired to the drawbar, ready to be plugged
into the monitor inside the tow vehicle.
The Onyx also gets a roof-mounted solar
panel along with a decent amount of external
storage. The gal-lined front boot is reasonably
standard in terms of its size – it’s also home
to the onboard battery and BreakSafe
unit – but there’s also a three-quarter
tunnel boot provided on the nearside.
Among the other external features, there’s
a roll-out nearside awning and awning light,
a 12V point (both USB and cigarette lighter-
style), a fold-down picnic table, and a gas
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bayonet for a BYO barbecue. I’d like to see
a speaker or two fitted to the outside to go
with the stereo/DVD/MP4 player inside.
Having said that, I think this Newlands
Onyx is, externally, quite well-equipped.
INTERIOR FITOUT
I referred to the Onyx earlier as ‘traditional’
but the interior is fitted out with the
expected contemporary amenities, and
the cabinetry reflects modern construction
methods. The overall fitout, from the joinery
to the alignment of the cupboard doors, is
millimetre-perfect.
The kitchen has a four-burner cooktop,
griller and oven, and a stainless steel sink.
The fridge-freezer is a sizable 190L three-way
unit with microwave above.
The cafe-style dinette comes with a tri-fold
table, three overhead lockers, a couple of
reading lights and, my favourite, slide-out
footrests instead of footrests that snap-up
into position.